With that in mind, he tried very hard to manage the three lines. In some way, he wanted to make Sir Kenton proud of him and what he was doing. He liked it very much when the man gave him his approval, filling a need in the boy that had never been met. It was a need Tab never even knew he had.
“I am going to show this fish that I am bigger and stronger than he is,” he declared. “I will showallof the fish I am bigger and stronger. I will catch them all!”
Kenton stood next to the boy, his smile returning at the lad’s boast. “You can try,” he said. “But it may prove difficult. Fish are very fast.”
“I am faster!”
“They may not wish to be caught, then.”
Tab was resolute. “I will catch them, anyway,” he said. “When I catch them, I will cut their heads off and eat them!”
Kenton snorted, putting a big hand on Tab’s blond head. “I believe you.”
Tab looked up, grinning openly at Kenton before returning his attention to the tangled fishing lines. When Gerik, standing a few feet away, tried to help untangle them, Kenton waved his knight off. This was Tab’s fight, after all, and they would let him fight it alone. It seemed that all the boy needed was a bit of encouragement, which Kenton was happy to provide.
Kenton’s gaze moved from Tab to the boy’s mother several feet away as she trailed after the twins. The boys were playing with the little lamb and Nicola meandered after them, smiling at her little boys and their frolics. Kenton was starting to notice everything about her now, from the way her hair fell against her neck to the dimple in her chin when she would smile. If he’d merely been fascinated with her before, the past several days hadseen him become completely enamored with her and everything about her. Every movement, every word enthralled him. His attention increasingly on her, he couldn’t help but move in her direction. It seemed the most natural of things.
Nicola, meanwhile, had no idea she was being stalked. She had moved away from the pond and was following the twins as they played with the little lamb, which was becoming quite frisky and playful. It would jump in the air and try to head-butt the little boys, who were delighted at the antics. Nicola stood back, grinning, as Teague was butted by the little lamb and fell over, giggling.
“My lady,” came a quiet, deep voice from behind. “I fear we may have an issue.”
Nicola turned around to see Kenton standing behind her, a faint smile on his face. She smiled in return, instantly, as she had so many times over the past few days. Ever since the return from Manchester, Kenton was ready to smile at her and she was ready to smile in return. Gone was the serious, stone-faced knight she had first become acquainted with. Gone was the belligerence between them. These days, there were no arguments. Thankfully, there was peace.
“What issue is that?” she asked.
Kenton threw a thumb over his shoulder at Tab, who was standing by the pond’s edge with Gerik behind him. “Young Tab has declared he will not stop fishing until he has caught every fish in the pond,” he said. “I have tried to suggest that such a thing may not be possible but you may wish to speak with him as well.”
Nicola looked at her eldest boy with two fishing lines in his hands. She laughed softly. “He is quite determined once his mind is set,” she said. “But I will see what I can do.”
Kenton nodded, his gaze lingering warmly on her as it had so often over the past few days. “I am sure that you can movemountains with him,” he said softly. “At least, you could with me.”
Nicola looked up into his handsome face, feeling quite warm and giddy by his statement. He had flirted with her quite heavily over the past few days but it hadn’t gone beyond that. He hadn’t even kissed her. It was as if he were trying to charm her into submission first, which she nearly liked better. She’d never had a man try to charm her in her life.
“How flattering, my lord,” she said, lowering her lashes coyly. It was something she’d learned to do with him as of late, something he seemed to like a great deal. “You are too kind.”
He snorted. “I tell the truth,” he said, eyeing her. “I was wondering, in fact….”
He trailed off and she cocked her head, smiling at him. “What were you wondering?” she asked.
He cleared his throat softly. “I was wondering if tonight after sup, if you would join me in the solar for warmed wine and conversation,” he said, somewhat awkwardly. He wasn’t a man used toaskinganything; all he ever gave were commands. “I would be pleased if you would be agreeable.”
Nicola smiled broadly. “Conversation?” she repeated, toying with him. “Whatever could we speak of?”
“Many things.”
“You must give me an example.”
Kenton pursed his lips. He could see that she was jesting with him. “We will discuss how obstinate you are. And how beautiful.”
She laughed softly. “May we also speak of how forceful and determined you are?”
“Those are my good qualities.”
Her laughter grew. “Then I would be honored to converse with you about such things,” she said. “I must put the boys to bed first but I would be happy to join you when I have finished.”
“Then I shall look forward to it.”
Nicola flushed sweetly, flattered by his invitation. So much had changed between them over the past week that it was as if they were two entirely different people who had only just met, and whose attraction to one another had been obvious and strong from the onset. She was so caught up in gazing at the man, who was looking at her rather bashfully, that she was genuinely startled when the lamb butted Tiernan, catching the boy off balance, and he fell down on a rock. He howled at his scraped knee.
